There's Us
by wheredoesithurt
Summary: Sean's leaving, and everything's changing. Emma's having trouble dealing. Who will be there for her? MEMMA
1. Chapter 1

**There's Us**

Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi.

A/N - This is a MEMMA fanfiction. If you're not into that kind of thing, well, just don't read this story. ;) In my story, Sean is still going off to the Military, and Craig and Manny are still together. Reviews/Comments are much appreciated.

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It all started when Sean broke up with me. Okay, he didn't break up with me technically, but he's going off to the military. That's pretty much the same thing... right? Anyway, I won't see him for months, and then after that, who knows how long. I don't want to get hurt and him leaving, it's hurting me. That sounds so crybaby, but this always happens. He always ends up leaving me somehow. Couldn't he have at least talked to me about this first before making a decision? It's so wrong, but part of me just can't put all my trust into him. I love Sean, but I don't want my heart to be broken again. I just can't let that happen.

Craig laughed loudly, interrupting me from my thoughts, and slung an arm over Manny's shoulders. I took another drink from my water and starting drifting away from their conversations again. I didn't really feel too stable at the moment. It wasn't really that Sean was leaving per se, just the fact that my world was off balance again. It made my skin crawl.

When Manny gave me a worried look, I started to pretend like I was a part of the group, laughing at all the right times and adding in comments here and there. This was too boring. I didn't want to be here. I wanted to be at home with Manny in my pajamas watching old romance movies or something. Anything but this really.

"We should have a party!"

I snapped my head upwards and sent a death glare in Spinner's direction. The entire table at the Dot was in chaos now. Marco gave Jimmy a high-five. Boys. I shook my head.

Manny elbowed me and smiled. Damn her! Her smiles were contagious. "Come on, Em. It'll be fun."

"Hell yeah, Vodka!!" Someone whooped in the air, over on Paige's side of the table.

Oh God, no. There was no way I would be drinking. The last time was enough for me. I've learned my lesson, I swear.

I scoffed. "Do you know how many calories are in one shot of Vodka?" I have to admit, I sounded very snobby.

But seriously - Oh. My. God. I have no idea where that came from. I honestly wasn't worried about the calories in a shot of Vodka. They could so be easily burned off throughout the night with all that hyperness. Manny stared at me as if saying 'What the hell?'

I shrugged as if to say 'My bad. Did I say that out loud?' in response.

"Sorry, bad joke." I smiled at them brightly. It was totally fake. "So, yeah, where will this party be at?"

I wish I had never said that. Now Manny's going to worry and start watching me. I don't even have a problem anymore... not really. I mean, I can eat. It's hard sometimes, but I'm getting through it. Right? Yes.

"Em, do you need to go to the bathroom?"

I opened my mouth to say a quick 'no', but before I could answer, Manny pulled me by the arm, rather painfully, to the girl's bathroom.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"Emma, seriously," she said, giving me a pointed look.

I sighed and reached for her hand. "I'm fine, okay? I pinky swear."

This was obviously a good thing to say because she laughed and linked my pinky with hers. "Good, because this party's going to be awesome! Plus, it'll help get your mind off of Sean. You're going, right?"

"Of course," I said.

She squealed and threw her arms around me in a hug. "I can't wait! Oh god, this is going to be so much fun! Come on, we only have twenty-four hours to pick out our outfits. And Em?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm always here for you if you need to talk, okay?"

I smiled. Manny was something else. I wasn't really too psyched about this party, but it's Manny's night. She deserves to have some fun.


	2. Chapter 2

**There's Us**

Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi.

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Spinner's house was like a maze, only smaller and with lots of people. I practically ran through the hallways, checking through each room quickly. Manny had to be in one of them. The last time I saw her, she was downing another shot and saying something about making a sandcastle out of forks with Spinner. Not to mention, I needed some space. I felt like I was suffocating in a sea of drunken animals. Where does Spinner find these people?

I turned the corner of the hallway, almost knocking into one of Spinner's stumbling guests. He held onto my waist, steadying himself.

"Hey there, sexy," he slurred, rubbing his hands across my hips.

I screamed. It was pure instinct, but I blushed anyway. I just hoped that nobody heard that. I slapped his hands away, and made a noise of disgust. "Don't touch me, you pervert." I felt sick to my stomach.

He came toward me again, so I ducked into the room on my right and held my body against the door, just incase he decided to follow.

He didn't, thank God. I breathed a sigh of relief. This was all too much drama for me to survive in one night. That's why I avoid parties like this in the first place. I'll never understand what Manny loves so much about them.

"Sorry, but this room is occupied."

I snapped around at the voice (the very rude voice), and felt for the light switch. The brightness blurred my vision for a moment, and then I froze.

"Craig?"

Craig. My brain went into shut down mode. Craig. Manny's boyfriend. Laying on top of some girl. Laying on top of some girl who is not Manny.

I had to find Manny.

"Emma?"

He looked at me shell-shocked. I could tell that his brain also went into shut down mode. How could he do this to her again? That selfish, good for nothing-

I turned, rushing out of the room as I heard Craig make his way after me. Damn, where was that girl? I ran up the stairs.

"Nelson!"

I didn't even look at the person blocking my way. I just knew that my body was in panic mode and I had to tell Manny as soon as possible.

"Move.."

The man in front of me laughed. "Woah, someone's got something stuck up their ass. I'll forgive you though, because I know just what you need."

I gritted my teeth. This man was getting on my last nerve. "I need you to move."

"No, wrong answer. Here you go,"

He handed me a shot glass.

"Okay, great, now move."

"No way, Nelson! You have to drink it first."

I stomped my foot on the ground, trying to push past him. "Seriously, move out of my way."

"I'll let you pass if you drink it."

Damn. I placed the glass on my lips and drank, coughing slightly as it burnt it's way down my throat. I thrust it back at him. "Happy? Now move."

He laughed again, letting me past. "You'll thank me later!"

I swear, each step I made felt heavy all of a sudden, like gravity was pushing down on me. I didn't even know where I was going, I just had to walk. What was I doing again? Find Manny. That's right.

By the time I found her, that shot had made it's way into my body fully. I was all light-headed and dizzy, and I didn't understand how one shot could do this. It had to have been mixed.

Manny pummeled into me, pushing me onto the ground.

"Emma, guess what?"

I couldn't resist. "What?"

"I'm sitting on you!"

She laughed, falling backwards off of me until her back hit the side of the bed. Spinner came up next to me then, handing me a cup. "You have to finish it off for me." Shakily, he walked out of the room. "I'm going to go find Paige."

And so I did. Like I said, I'm easily peer pressured. All thoughts from before were lost as I went looking for the tequila bottle for Manny and me.


	3. Chapter 3

**There's Us**

A/N - Thanks for reviewing! ;)

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The next thing I knew, I was at my house, laying in my bed. It was as if time had skipped. It went from the party to here in short flashes, and maybe that was a good thing. Part of me was convinced that I just didn't want to know what could have happened in the few hours that I had 'blacked out'. I mean, ignorance is bliss, right?

I heard a loud thump and giggling from across the room. I practically jumped out from under the covers, briefly wondering how I had even gotten there in the first place, and made my way over toward the sound.

"Manny?"

She looked up at me, smiling. Her appearance almost made me laugh out loud. My head was spinning too much though, so I held it in. Her hair was frizzed out, kind of like her clothes, except they were more rumpled than anything. Seems like I wasn't the only one still buzzing.

"What are you doing?"

"I fell," she said simply.

"Oh." I grabbed her hand, trying to pull her from the ground. Manny was heavier than I thought. Or maybe it was the alcohol still turning in my stomach. "Help me help you up."

Manny laughed at this, but did it anyway, her other hand holding onto my waist for support. I jumped at the contact, my face flushing. This wasn't anything like that creepy guy from the party though. Her hands were warm, almost soothing.

"Sorry, your hands are really hot."

Manny let go. I frowned, quickly reaching for her hand. It was pure reflex, I swear.

"No! I mean, it's not like bad or anything. It feels good."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded. She placed her hand back on my waist.

"It's not me, Em. You're burning up." She blushed. "I mean, your skin. Your skin's hot. I mean, well, you know what I mean."

"I am?"

"Yeah."

I placed my hand on her shoulder. "No, it's definitely you." I closed the space between us.

"What are you doing?" Her eyes were wide. Not like 'get the hell away from me' wide, but more like 'I have no idea what's going on' wide.

I had no idea what was going on either. It was the alcohol, I'm telling you. No, I couldn't blame the alcohol. The blame was all on Sean. My hormones were running wild - not that he even deserved me to feel anything toward him at all. And I wasn't saying I was having... hormonal thoughts about Manny either. I was just craving contact, you know? That doesn't even sound right.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry about what?"

"For what I'm about to do."

Before Manny could reply, I pressed the palm of my hand against her cheek, my lips inches from hers. I knew it was wrong. I almost cringed... almost. I swear, I was possessed. It wasn't me. It was more like some twisted version of me who had a very low tolerance to tequila. Manny moved in, her lips brushing mine.

I pushed back suddenly. This was not going to be good in the morning.


	4. Chapter 4

**There's Us**

Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi.

A/N - Thank you again for the reviews. ;) I really appreciate it, and if any of you have any suggestions or whatnot, please tell me.

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I woke up sometime after noon, my head throbbing - and then it all came back to me. It wasn't like one of those stories I use to read where the girl gets drunk, wakes up at her boyfriend's house in his bed wondering where she was, and then 'all the memories came rushing back to her'. No, it was more like a 'Shit, I was hoping I dreamt that.' kind of feeling. I couldn't forget. I almost wished that Manny had some sort of alcohol amnesia. You know, the impossible kind where you don't remember anything from the night before, not even little tiny, insignificant moments.

I was surprised my mom hadn't even checked in on us yet. Then again, it was Sunday. I was thankful nonetheless. I mean, last night was way too much to handle. I didn't want anything else to handle this morning either, including a thirty minute breakfast with my mom, who would only sit there watching each forkful of food going into my mouth. At least she was trusting me again, not that she had any reason to.

Checking to make sure if Manny was asleep (and she was), I crawled out of the bed and made my way up the basement stairs. My mom smiled at me from the kitchen table as she fed Jack his lunch.

"Hey, did you have fun last night?"

My mind blanked. How could she know? What was that about moms? They can't know everything. I mean, they aren't fucking mind readers or whatever.

"What do you mean?"

"The movies," she said, almost as if asking me a question. "You said you and Manny were going to see Knocked Up."

Oh, the irony.

"Oh, yeah. It was good."

She smiled again, nodding. "Well, are you hungry? I can make you some-"

The doorbell rang. Thank God.

"I'll get it!" I said hurriedly and without waiting for a reply, I made my exit. Pulling open the door, my face blanked. Craig. He was holding a bouquet of red roses. I had totally forgotten. What a horrible best friend I turned out to be.

"Sorry, jerks aren't allowed here."

He frowned. "Look, I know you're upset, but just let me talk to Manny for like ten seconds, that's it."

"I have a better idea. You leave and I'll fill Manny in on the details."

Craig sighed, grabbing my arm and pulling me out of the doorframe. He shut the door behind me.

"Get your filthy, cheating hands off of-"

"I was drunk, okay? I swore it was Manny."

I laughed. "Mmhm, and that's why you looked so surprised when you saw me."

"Seriously, Em. I'm not lying."

I gave him a look. Did he really think I would fall for that load of crap? He uses it every time.

"Okay, fine," he said, putting the bouquet on the ground and reaching into his pocket. "We'll do this the easy way. You're not going to tell anyone, or Manny, about what happened last night."

"Excuse me? And what's going to stop me?"

He pulled a small notebook out of his pocket. I froze. Was that my food diary?

"I found it in your room last night."

Now I was just pissed. What right did he have going through my things and stealing from me? I was at a loss. I could see the smile forming on his face. That two-timing bastard.

"My secret for yours," he said, and pocketed my diary. "What happened yesterday, it was a mistake. I made a mistake, you're making a mistake. We're even. You tell Manny, I tell Manny."

And then he picked up the bouquet and left. I still stood in the same place, my mind reeling. I wasn't making a mistake. I wasn't even doing anything wrong. I wasn't starving myself like I use to. I was eating like 800 calories a day. I was making progress. But if my mom or Manny found out... I didn't want to go back to therapy. I just wanted to do my eating disorder thing in peace. Geez. Was that too much to ask?


End file.
